The beginning of a new year often brings a fresh surge of motivation. Many of us feel inspired to set goals related to health, work, finances, or personal growth. Yet by mid-February, it’s common for even the best intentions to fade. This isn’t because people lack discipline or willpower, it’s usually because the goals themselves weren’t designed to fit real life.

For those who work in an academic setting, workdays are often full, intellectually demanding, require a great deal of mental and emotional flexibility and are shaped by the schedule of the academic calendar. That context matters. Achievable goals are not about doing more or being perfect; they’re about making thoughtful, realistic changes that can be sustained over time.

Here are five practical tips to help you set goals this year that you can actually keep.

With the start of the new year right around the corner, many of us feel the familiar pull to make a fresh start. Eat better. Exercise more. Stress less. Sleep more. Be more productive. The intentions are good, but the follow-through often falls apart before the end of January.

It’s tempting to assume the problem is motivation or willpower. But, in reality, most New Year’s resolutions fail for a much simpler reason: we try to plan the destination without first understanding our starting point.

We’ve all heard the old adage that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” (Benjamin Franklin).  When it comes to our health, and specifically heart health, this quote could not be more applicable.  While genetics certainly play a role in the health of our hearts, our lifestyle and preventive care behaviors also play a significant role. Since February is American Heart Month let’s talk about some things we may be able to do to keep our hearts healthy.

March is National Nutrition Monday and there is no better way to celebrate and have some fun than with a nutrition challenge.  The Fuel Your Life Challenge is a self-administered 4-week nutrition challenge designed to support participants to improve their eating habits.  It will run from Monday, March 7^th through Friday, April 1^st.  Each week of the challenge is focused on a different goal:

• Week 1 – Making a small change to improve an eating habit
• Week 2 – Upgrading lunch to be healthier
• Week 3 – Cutting down consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages
• Week 4 – Planning and preparing meals

The 2020 GMHEC Well-being Annual Report highlights the great work we’ve done to enhance the culture of well-being at our member colleges over the last year. These successes are a result of strong partnerships and the collaboration between the Consortium and the faculty and staff of our schools. Take a look.